When you think of heroes, the first characters that probably come to mind include the likes of Spider-man, Batman, and Superman, right? Comic book heroes have been enjoying their much-deserved time in the public spotlight for a few years now, thanks mostly to the recent surge in popularity of the films that are based on them. It's understandably a little difficult to remember the heroes we've been controlling in virtual worlds at home between showings of The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises, but that's about to change. Video games bring with them a fair share of memorable heroes that, for better or worse, hold a place in our hearts or in our memories. Some deserve their spot in history while others really, really don't. Fanboys, get ready to set your phasers to flame.

The Best

Garcia Hotspur

The archetypal foul-mouthed and totally fearless hero who kicks mountains of demon butt while oozing style from practically every orifice is definitely…Garcia Hotspur. Yeah, I know, you were expecting Dante to get a mention, and while he totally deserves it, last year he was shown up by an infinitely more interesting man. While Dante's more about showing off, the apparently unlimited supply of cans of whoopass Garcia unleashes over the course of Shadows of the Damned is all for his true love. He's a sexual deviant with a skull torch for a sidekick, and trust me when I say that isn't anywhere near the strangest thing you're going to see when you play that game.

Mario

Mario deserves a spot on this list not because of his iconic standing in the gaming community, but because for all the good he's done and all the happiness he's bestowed upon the world, he's undeniably insane. Like, literally insane. If insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results, than how do you explain his obsession for saving a kidnapped princess over the course of what feels like a billion games? Does he expect her to stay un-kidnapped after every successful save? What makes this line of thought even more troubling is that you could use it on pretty much every character in the series. On the surface, the Mario games are fun and vibrant. But don't be fooled, because underneath that colorful and quirky exterior a terrifying level of crazy calls home.

Leon S. Kennedy

Leon's one of the more likeable characters in the Resident Evil series, and while that's largely a mixed bag, it's pretty impressive when you're among the likes of Jill Valentine, Sheva Alomar, and Claire Redfield. Leon's saved the President's daughter, fought off hordes of the hungry undead, and fought off another horde of angry Spaniards, but none of that matter when you have hair like his. Is it just me, or do his bangs get more lush and silky smooth with each new game in the Resident Evil series? I'm pretty sure it does. He's coming back in Resident Evil 6 this October, where I'm sure his hair will be even more amazing.

Link might not speak, but he's one of the few characters where I don't mind, because if his grunts and yells are anything to go by, that kid must have an extraordinarily annoying voice. Link's done a lot of good, and he does it out of the kindness of his wee little elfin heart. He's resourceful, an excellent listener, and he looks marvelous in green. If there were a list of traits required to be a hero, he'd have at least half of them.

Half-Life

You might be confused as to how I justified putting a game where a character's name should go, but don't worry, everything will be made clear in a second. You see, everyone that isn't on the side of evil in the Half-Life series, to me, is a hero. The rebels, Dog, Alyx, Gordon, they're all heroes in one way or another. Their willingness to fight for what they believe in, even with the threat of their unstoppable destruction looming over them at all times, makes them all pretty incredible. Now, if Valve wants to be my hero, they'll drop a hint as to when we can expect Episode 3.